This is very much context and culture dependent. For example, in some civil services, managers never get into trouble for saying no, as they can spin a no as being good stewards of public funds. Saying yes is far riskier and requires either top down direction or group consensus, or both.

The hardest thing about making decisions is accepting that some people don’t want that responsibility. If you are willing to make decisions, and have a decent track record and can justify them in a manner acceptable to your organization, you can go far.

I hadn’t been a manager long when two of my staff came to tell me of a customer problem. They summarized the situation, offered alternatives, and a recommendation. Then waited.

I tried to look pensive as if considering what they were saying, while all the while thinking that their assessment was cogent and their recommendation spot on. Honestly, I couldn’t figure out why they were there. It took me a bit to realize they needed me to okay it: I was the manager, so I had to take responsibility, they didn’t want that.

OK, let’s do that, I said, and if they went, happy. One of them became a very good manager some time later when they decided they did want that responsibility.